


How I Met Your Grandmother

by LovesFrogs



Series: That's What Godbrothers are For [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Augusta Longbottom needs a wake-up call, Gen, Harry Potter is a Good Friend, Harry and Neville are bros, Her grandson is amazing, Neville Longbottom is a Good Friend, godbrothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 16:14:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16622207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovesFrogs/pseuds/LovesFrogs
Summary: When Harry and Neville (literally) run into each other after fourth year has ended, Neville invites Harry to come and meet his infamous Gran.(aka the one where Harry reminds Augusta Longbottom what she does and does not have)





	How I Met Your Grandmother

**Author's Note:**

> Harry given the twins his Triwizard winnings at the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Stepping off the train, Harry runs into Neville...  
> “He left the compartment before [the twins] could say another word, stepping over Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were still lying on the floor, covered in hex marks.” (pg. 733)

Harry began to walk faster in order to catch up to Ron, Hermione, and the Weasleys before they went home. He didn’t see Neville exiting the train in front of him until they collided, knocking Harry’s trunk open and spilling his things all over the ground. Hedwig’s cage clattered to the ground too, accompanied by the owl’s loud shrieks as she was bumped and jostled inside it.

“Sorry about that, Harry,” exclaimed Neville, hurriedly righting Hedwig’s cage and helping Harry to collect his things and shove them back into the trunk.

Harry shook his head as he picked up a stray sock. “It was my fault; I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

They worked together in silence for several minutes, not bothering with organization or folding, just shoving everything together as it came. Finally, Neville handed Harry his hat and, standing, glanced around a final time. “I think that’s everything,” he said.

“Yeah,” said Harry. “Thanks for helping out.”

“No problem,” Neville grinned. Then something caught his eye and the grin faded. “Looks like my Gran came looking for me. That’s her over there.”

Harry followed Neville’s pointing hand to a regal, severe looking woman wearing an old fashioned green dress and an elaborate hat with a fake stuffed vulture on it. He had to hold back a snort when he remembered a boggart that looked like Snape dressed in those same clothes.

Neville was still looking at his Gran, who hadn’t spotted them yet. “She’s always going on about you, you know. I don’t know if she gets that you’re basically just a regular Gryffindor.”

Harry, who had increasingly hated his fame ever since Rita Skeeter had begun writing untrue newspaper articles about him, felt oddly touched. “Thanks, Neville.” His friend looked at him strangely. “I wish everyone else thought I was just a regular guy too,” Harry explained. Neville laughed a little.

“Do you want to meet her?” he asked. Then he blushed a little. “I don’t want you to, like, impress her or anything, but she’s under the impression that I don’t have any friends because she hasn’t met them, so--”

“Sure, Neville,” Harry interrupted him. To be honest, he was a little curious to meet Neville’s Gran after all the stories he’d heard from Neville. Harry wondered if Neville was rather unconfident and forgetful because she was a bit overbearing, or if she was a bit overbearing because Neville was unconfident and forgetful.

Neville glanced at his Gran uncomfortably. “She might… well, she might just see the Famous Harry Potter, if you know what I mean,” he confessed. “And she’ll probably compare me to you…”

Harry really didn’t want to go through anything like that, and he had a feeling Neville had been “compared” to him before, but Neville had asked him to meet his Gran, and Harry wouldn’t turn him down. Maybe he could change the opinion of Neville’s Gran a little. He took a deep breath. “Let’s do it.”

Neville led him out from behind the train and Harry followed him up to Mrs. Longbottom, who had finally spotted them and was tapping a cane impatiently. Harry got the feeling that the cane was completely for show, as she was standing very straight and proud without leaning on it at all.

“Come on, Neville, we haven’t got all day,” she said when they were not far away. Neville and Harry quickly covered the rest of the distance, and Neville’s Gran opened her arms. Neville gave her a fast hug and then pulled away.

“Gran,” he said politely, “I’d like you to meet my friend Harry Potter. Harry, this is my Gran.”

Harry stuck out his hand nervously. “Pleased to meet you.”

Mrs. Longbottom slowly took his hand and gave it a firm shake. “The pleasure is mine, Mr. Potter,” she murmured, eyeing him beadily. Harry got the feeling he was being inspected, and she didn’t know whether or not to pass him yet. “How was your school year?” she asked.

Harry shrugged. “As well as it could be with all the stuff that happened, I guess.”

“Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament,” she nodded, sending Neville a sharp glance. “I was rather surprised when Neville didn’t even try to enter. I heard there were several Gryffindors that did, and you, who are underage, even got in.”

“That was an accident,” Harry protested. “Neville was much smarter than the rest of us, only wanting to watch instead of caring about ‘eternal glory’ and all that rot!” Neville shot him a thankful grin, which Harry returned. He wasn’t going to let Neville’s family think their kid a coward if he could help it.

“Yes, well,” Mrs. Longbottom sighed. “It was something his father would have done.”

“Mrs. Longbottom,” said Harry shortly, “I can’t ever remember meeting my father, and I’m sick and tired of being told whether I have or have not acted like him because _we are not the same person_ , no matter how alike we look. Of course I’m not going to act like him all the time! I’d imagine Neville feels much the same way, but you might want to ask him, since we’re not the same person either.”

There was a long silence in which Mrs. Longbottom gave him a hard stare. Neville, standing behind her, watched the scene with wide eyes. Harry wondered if he was about to be scolded, or even yelled at, by Neville’s Gran in the middle of the quickly emptying platform. Her eyes narrowed and her face twitched a bit. Harry gulped. 

Then Mrs. Longbottom did the last thing Harry expected: she began to laugh.

“Oh my,” she said between chuckles, “No one has dared tell me off like that in a long time.” Both Neville and Harry breathed huge sighs of relief, though Harry could feel his face burning.

“Sorry,” he began, but she didn’t let him finish.

“No need to be sorry, Mr. Potter.” There was a new gleam in her eye. “You were right to say those things. You may know this, but you mother was always scolding people when she saw them treating others wrongly, and you sounded just like her. Not to imply that you’re not your own person of course,” she added wryly.

“Really?” Harry was stunned. People often mentioned that he looked almost exactly like his father, and they always talked about the way his father had acted. He didn’t think he’d ever been compared to his mother, except for the fact that they had the same eyes. Hearing that he had acted just like her was a bit startling, but Harry was happy that they had something other than bright green eyes in common.

“Really,” said Mrs. Longbottom. “I have a feeling I will be hearing a lot about you in the coming years, Mr. Potter. It was good to meet you.”

“You too,” mumbled Harry, his thoughts still reeling. He absentmindedly bid goodbye to Neville and his Gran before turning and heading for the gateway into the muggle world. Mrs. Longbottom had given him a lot to think about. 

“Hey, mate, what took you so long?”

“Huh?” Harry looked up. Ron was standing just outside the barrier, obviously having waited for Harry with his family. Hermione was standing behind him, and Harry saw her parents and the Dursleys standing a bit apart from the rest of the crowd. “Sorry. Me and Neville ran into each other and all my stuff fell out of the trunk.”

“Oh. You should’ve yelled, then we could’ve helped.” 

Harry shrugged. “It’s alright, we got it back in fine.”

“Yeah, well... so long, Harry,” said Ron, clapping him on the back.

“‘Bye, Harry!” said Hermione, and she did something she had never done before, and kissed him on the cheek.

“Harry--thanks,” George muttered, while Fred nodded fervently at his side.

Harry winked at them, turned to Uncle Vernon, and followed him silently from the station. There was no point worrying yet, he told himself, as he got into the back of the Dursleys’ car. 

As Hagrid had said, what would come, would come… and he would have to meet it when it did.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Tell me what you think in the comments :)


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